Improved lunch-box



and size of the required box.

atentdipiw.

JOHN ERPELDING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 101,113, dated .March 22, 1870.v

IMPROVED LUNCH-BOX.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may conce/rn:

Be it known that I, JOHN EnrELnlxe, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented 4certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Lunch-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,.clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings making part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, like letters indicating like parts wherever they occur.

-To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

My invention relates to a folding lunch-box, and consists in a novel manner of formingand hinging the plates that constitute the various sides together, so that they may be brought into position to form a strong and capacious box, or folded into a compact shape, so as to readily enter the pocket of' the bearer, and also in -applyin'g to the box thus constructed a strap or handle.'

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my box folded or compressed.

Figure 2 is a cross-section through the middle of ythe box .when extended.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the box extended and ready. for use.

In constructing my box, I provide two oblong rectangular pieoes of sheetmetal, A and B, ot' the form Ihe former of these plates, A, I make with a narrow lip or flange across both ends and along one side, and the remaining plate, B, with similar lips or flan ges on all four edges or sides.

The ends of the plates or sides A and B I connect by pairs of plates, C, hinged to eachother at a and to the side plates at b b, as shown in tigs. 2 and 3.

The end plates C I form with narrow lips, an, projecting inwardly from their lower edges, as shown in tig. 2, and also construct their hinge-joints a l1 so as to allow the plates to fold inward, but not outward.

By straightening the endpieces C out in line,`the sides A Bare held apart, as shown in figs. 2 and 3;

but upon bending or folding the ends inward, the sides may be pressed together, as shown in iig. 1.

To the lower edge of side-plate. B I hinge a bottom plate, I), which, when the body is expanded, may be turned down upon the lips in. of the end pieces, thus forming the bottom ofthe box, and holding the same rigidly in shape, and preventin it from being collapsed.

To the upper edge ofthe side A I hinge the lid or top E, provided at its front edge with eyes e, as shown in figs. 2 and 3. On 'the upper edge of the side B I mount a sliding locking-bolt, F, for fastening the lid shut by means ot' eyes e,.as shown in igf.

At the middle of the locking-bolt I form an ear or loop,- and to it attach one end ot' a strap or handle, G, the opposite end of which is secured to side A, as shown in 2 and 3, this strap forming acolvenient nie-ans whereby to carry the box when iilled.

"When the box is empty, but extended as in figs. 2

vand 3, and it is desired to close or compress it, the lid E is first turned over back against the outside of side A, the bottom Dturned up against the inside of side A, the ends() folded inward, and the side-s A and B pressed together. Ihe box will then present the appearance as shown in 1, and may be readily entered in the pocket.

' To again extend the box, the operation is reversed. The4 ends are first straightened out to push the sides apart, the bottom turned down, and the lid brought over on top, as shown in iig. 3.

Having thus described my invention,

That I claim is- A lunch-,box consisting of the sides A and B, the former having the bottom D and top E hinged to it, and both connected by the hinged folding ends C, bolt F, arranged to slide on the edge of side B and lock intoeyes on the edge of top E and handle G, all constructed and arranged as herein described.

JOHN ERPELDING.

Witnesses:

WM. E. HULTMANX, WM. H. LoTz. 

